The
Villages of Amana
The
Amana Colonies offer something for every visitor including lovely rural scenery,
quaint villages, unusual architecture, museum exhibits, artisan demonstrations,
nature trails, extensive shopping, golf, lodging, and unique German-American and
pub dining. A complete guide to all of these features is found at the official
Amana Colonies web site www.amanacolonies.com.
The Villages of Amana web site you are now viewing is sponsored by
the Villages Association, a group of Amana Colonies businesses whose purpose is
to encourage tourism to the greater Amana area and more specifically to promote
events and activities in the villages of
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Every visit to
the Amana Colonies should include a drive around the 17-mile Amana
Colonies Trail where visitors can view the unique architecture of the
original communal buildings, note the subtle differences in the designs
and materials used to construct each village, and visit museums, artisan
galleries, shops, and B&Bs which continue to capture the flavor of
this unique place in America's past. |
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Settled in the 1850s by a German religious group, the Community of True Inspiration, the Amana villages were built one hour apart when traveling by ox cart. Each village had a church, a farm, multi-family residences, workshops and communal kitchens. The communal system continued until 1932. Today, the original communal buildings in each village contain private residences, museums, art galleries, artisan workshops, restaurants, B&Bs, antique shops and a variety of other businesses. |
Below, we provide a brief description of each village along with names and contact information of the Villages Association members who sponsor this web page. Numbers on the map below correspond to the member businesses listed with each village.
A Tour Through the Amana Colonies
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Homestead was added to the Amana Colonies in 1861 to provide initial access to rail service for the colonies. There is a store and church museum here as well as an art gallery, bed and breakfast, a hotel, a grocery and local produce market, a copper smith, and an apple cider mill. |
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1 -
Homestead Cider Mill/Orchard: 319-622-3694
2 - Die Heimat Country Inn & B&B:
888-613-5463
Toll free;
www.dheimat.com
3 - Troy Richard Thomas
4 -
Zuber's Homestead Hotel: 319-622-3911;
www.zubershomesteadhotel.com
5 -
Henry's Village Market: 319-622-3931;
www.henrysvillagemarket.com
Amana Colonies Farmer's Market, Fridays 4-7, May 21 -
Oct 1; local food, live music,
food on the grill. Further
information.
6 - A.J.'s
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South Amana is almost entirely brick buildings and is famous for its wonderful flower gardens. Here too is an agricultural museum, a museum of miniature buildings, a furniture shop, bed & breakfast, and an antique and quilt shop. |
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7 - Bábi's Bed &
Breakfast: 866-752-5286
Toll-free; www.babisbnb.com
8 - Schanz Furniture and
Refinishing: 319-622-3529;
www.schanzfurniture.com
9 - Fern Hill Antiques and
Quilts: 319-622-3627;
www.fernhill.net
10 -
Upper
South Amana contains the Amana Society Bakery (not open to the public) and a
small number of traditional homes.
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West Amana
buildings are
primarily made of sandstone. While much of the village is still
residential, the |
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- Opa's Tractor
13 - Michele Maring Miller
Studio and Gallery: 319-622-6330;
www.maringmillergallery.com
14 – Giant Rocker and Philip Dickel Basket Museum: 319-622-3315
15 - Broom and Basket Shop: 319-622-3315;
www.broomandbasket.com
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High Amana also has many sandstone structures including the Amana Arts Guild (housed in an old church) where works by local artisans are displayed and sold. The High Amana General Store has changed little in 100 years and is both a museum and a shop. On the south side of town are a large farm complex and the offices of Amana Society Farms, Inc. which oversees the 25,000 acre crop, cattle and forestry business. |
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16 - Amana Arts Guild: 319-622-3678; www.amanaartsguild.com
17 - Colony Visits Heritage Destinations:
319-622-6178;
www.colonyvisits.com
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Middle Amana contains brick and frame homes including several bed and
breakfasts and the only original open hearth bakery still in operation. A
kitchen museum here depicts the large-scale cooking and dining operations
typical of the communal period. Here also is the modern Amana
Refrigeration plant (now a division of Whirlpool) and nearby the Amana Golf
Course. Just east of Middle Amana is |
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18 - Rose and Thorn Public House: 319-622-3142
19 - Hahn Bakery: 319-622-3439
21 - Dusk to Dawn B&B: 319-622-3029
or 800-669-5773;
www.amanadusktodawn.com
Amana is
the largest of the seven villages and its streets contain dozens of shops,
galleries, wineries, several B&Bs, a motel, the Amana Woolen Mill, a
micro-brewery and all of the German-American restaurants.
East Amana is entirely residential but one of the most picturesque of the villages.
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Villages
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